The Real Harris: Meet Charlie Simon

Tell us about your background? What drew you to this industry?
“My Dad, family and friends were in the HVAC trades. I grew up surrounded by the industry. I also enjoy building things.”

What led you to Harris? What makes you stay?
“In 1994, right out of high school, I started at Quality Mechanical Contractors of Las Vegas, Nevada and enrolled in the sheet metal apprenticeship program. When Harris purchased Quality Mechanical in 2016, I saw a lot of changes – but for the better. I enjoy working here as much now as I did when I started.”

What are your main responsibilities? What is the best part of your position?
“I manage preconstruction and estimation for our Las Vegas office. I’m also leading the Estimation Focus group for 2021 and serve on the Sales Strategic Teams In Motion (STIM) team. I enjoy bidding and working on large and complex projects knowing that Harris has the resources to execute. I also really enjoy the people I work with. Many of the employees at this office have been together a long time and I have made great friends over the years. I like being one of the people that gets to talk about new projects we’re working on. I also worked on Harris’ rebranding, which was a fun project.

What traits are important to be successful in your position?
“I believe being consistent in what you do is probably most important – in both the amount of work, but also the quality of work.”

What are you passionate about at work? How do you recharge?
“I’m passionate about the biding/interview/win process. It’s always a great feeling to land a new project, large or small. To recharge, I play a round of golf. I also watch random how-to videos on YouTube and try to get to the ocean a couple times a year and spend time on the beach with my family.”

What is something Harris employees may not know about you?
“I’m a twin.”

What keeps you up at night? What inspires you or motivates you?
“Questioning myself as to if we put out a good number on a bid can keep me up at night. I’m continually motivated because I love being part of a team of people who are all working toward one goal, and it being a success.”

What are you most proud of at Harris? What do you wish the public knew about Harris?
“It makes me proud to watch the company and the people grow. And, I wish more people knew about the high-profile projects Harris has been involved in.